In music culture, nothing beats a generous portion of nostalgia. It enables the listener to indulge in either reminiscing on the past, or in re-invigorating the senses for new music to come. And Pop music artists, in particular, are magpies…
View More Various Artists – Digging Your Scene: New Pop And All That Jazz 1982-1987
The inspiration for Snowdrop, the latest and 13th album from Japanese instrumental rock band Mono, came about from the passing in 2024 of long-time friend of the band Steve Albini, Mono’s recent production partner, and, in the past, audio engineer…
View More Mono – Snowdrop
Dennis Atlas joined Toto in 2024 having made a name for himself as an up-and-coming multi-instrumentalist, debuting in a collaborative album release with Michael Whelan, as Initiator (2019’s Ice Garden), followed by a solo album in 2021, My Magical Wonderland,…
View More Dennis Atlas – Principle
Possibly the last place you would look for authentic-sounding Americana music would be Norway. However, let me introduce you to The Violent Years, a band based in Mandal on the southern tip of Norway and their latest release, out now,…
View More The Violent Years – Blizzard / Sunshine
Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson’s partnership began as a business relationship with Woolfson managing Parsons’ career as an engineer/producer off the back of his impressive work with the Beatles and Pink Floyd in the late sixties and early seventies. Their…
View More The Alan Parsons Project – The Eye In The Sky (Expanded Edition)
Popular music never ceases to amaze. For those that stick with me, you are about to read a rapturous, glowing review for an excellent forthcoming album by a band that released their first album in 1984. A band that, despite…
View More The Long Ryders – High Noon Hymns
Mountain’s imposing, statuesque lead guitarist Leslie West is often mentioned as a key early influencer by musicians, many of whom went on to have much more commercial success, longevity, and ultimately left more of a musical legacy than Leslie himself.…
View More Mountain – Don’t Look Around: The Recordings 1969-1974 (7CD Boxset)
I have to start with the context for this compilation, given that Strawberry / Cherry Red Records have already built up a collection of releases covering this period of American music history. This set, a 94-track companion volume being a…
View More Various Artists – Steppin’ Out: The Roots Of Garage Rock 1963-1965
It all started with Tommy Vance and the Friday Rock Show in the late 70’s, and its theme tune Take it off the Top by The Dixie Dregs. It was pretty much the only ‘rock’ music show on UK’s Radio…
View More Steve Morse Band – Triangulation
Moron Police have been around long enough for Pachinko to be their fourth album release although they are new to me, possibly because the music that the Norwegian-based band creates doesn’t fit into any of the usual pigeon-holes and, it…
View More Moron Police – Pachinko